Swinging nozzle



Nqv. 15, 1938. E. R. vzAlDEn/IACH SWINGING NOZ ZLE Filed May 19, 1956 2 sheds-sheet 1 x INVENTR :5r/Ch @2nde/nach.' BYMSLM 'ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1938. E. R. zADEMAcH SWINGING NOZZLE v z'sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 19, 1936 INVNTOR. 4 Zac/@mach BY A TTORNEYS Patented Nov. 15, 1938 Y UNITED STATESV PATENT OFFICEv E 2,137,104 swIGING NozzLE Erich R. Zadelnach, Elizabeth, N. J., assignor to Metalwash Machinery Company, New York, N. Y., a copartnership composed of Herman O. Boehme, Erich R. Zademach, and Albert C. Nolte Application May 19, 1936, serial No. 80,511 claims. (ci. 3412) This invention relates to driers which act to '4. The drying chamber is desirably composed blow air upon wet articles carried through a dryof la three-sided sheet metal plate 5 which forms ing chamber by means of. a conveyor. the sides and bottom Vof the chamber, and a flat Driers of this kind are generally used at difplate' 6:1: which forms the top of the chamber. An

5 ferent times for drying articlesof different sizes, endless conveyor belt 6 runs through the chamber, 5

although the articles put through at a single run being arranged to travel around end sprockare generally all of the same size. It is desirets 'I and 8 and to be supported between the able that the blowing nozzles be located as close sprockets on upper rails 9 and lower rails I0. The to the articles on the conveyor as is practicable articles are conducted through the chamber upon 10 because the blast from a nozzle is strongest right the upper or active stretch of the belt 6. 10

Y at the'nozzle tip. A blower II mounted alongside the chamber I It is an object of the present invention to proand below it, is driven from a motor I2 through vide a series of nozzles which may be adjusted a belt I3. The blower draws air from the dryso as to locate the nozzle tips at diierent dising chamber through a duct Ila. The blower l l.; tances above the conveyor. Thus for small artidelivers air into a heating chamber I4 which is 15 cles the nozzle tips will be located at a low level located above the blower and along one side of to be near the articles while for relatively large the Vdrying chamber. The air passes rst into articles the tips wil be adjusted to a higher level a space which is bounded at its ends and top which is suiliciently high to clear the articles by lmperforate plates I5 and I6 and which is comfortably. boundedalong its sides by steam coils I1 which 20 It is a further object of the invention to prohave radiating ns I8 formed or mounted upon vide a common adjusting meansfor adjusting them at frequent intervals. All the air delivall of. the articles in unison. ered by the blower must pass out through one It is a further object to provide an' entrance bank or the other of the heating pipes. A porgate or guard atthe introductory end of the tion of the air escapes through the heating cham- 25 machine which is also adjustable in unison with ber Il through lower openings I9 to lower jets the nozzles. The entrance gate or guard is ar- 20 which are located in the drying .chamber beranged automatically to afford a little less cleartween the upper and lower stretches'of the conance than the nozzles at all times, so that any veyor.

article which can pass the gate and enter the The principal feature of the present invention 30 drying chamber will be sure to pass clear of the has to do with upper nozzles which the air from nozzles, and, therefore, not to foul the appathe heating chamber I4 enters through openings ratus. 2I. A flanged bearing tube 22 is secured within The drying chamber is sometimes used ln tanthe chamber I in line with each opening 2I. A

dem with preceding washing, and rinsing chamsimilar bearing tube.23 is secured to the opposite bers. In such a case the entrance gate is pro- Wall of the drying chamber. A nozzle 24 is provided at the introductory end of the rst unit vided with bearing tubes 25 oi'. the same size as and the common control for the entrance gate the bearing tubes 22 and 23,. Bearing rings 25a and for the nozzles is located at the introductory are provided which may be initially mounted 40 end of the rst unit. upon the bearing tubes 22 and 23 and which may 46 Other objects and advantages will hereinafter be slid inward to overlap the bearing tubes 25 appear. when the latter have been put in place. Each In the drawings forming part of this specinozzle has fixed to its lower side a yoke shaped fication and illustrating a referred embodiment plate 26, each plate 26 including end arms 2'I 4r, of the invention; l outside the lateral bounds of the nozzle which 45 Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevaarms extend downward. The end arms 2'I at one tion illustrating a drier unit, and, side of the chamber are all pivotally connected to Figure 21s a transverse, vertical sectional view.A a longitudinally extending bar 28 and the end taken on the line 2-2,of. Fig. l, and looking in arms at the other side-of the chamber are all the direction of the arrows. pivotally connected to a longitudinal bar 29. The 50 'I'he drying chamber I is supported at a dlsbars 28 and 29 extend to a point adjacent the tance above the floor upon legs 2 in the form introductory end of the apparatus and are there of channel bars. I'he legs are secured at their connected-to crank arms 30 which are fast upon lower ends to cross beams 3, which in turn are a shaft 3|. The shaft 3| also has fast upon it secured to longitudinally extending channel bars a gear 32 and an entrance gate or guard plate 53.

' apparatus.

33. The guard plate'33 is of such length that it extends at least as near to the article support, and preferably a little nearer to the article support than do the nozzles 24. This is true in all adjusted positions of the nozzles and the guard plate. The guard plate assures that no article which can pass the entrance gate can possibly jam the machine by engaging a nozzle. In the illustrative embodiment a loading platform 34 is 'provided at the entrance end of the drying unit which stands a little above the level of, the conveyor 6. In this form of construction it is only necessary that the clearance between the entrance gate 33 andthe loading platform 34 be small enough to assure that an article which can enter will be able to pass the nozzles 4when resting on the conveyor 6.

Adjustment of the nozzles and the entrance gate in unison is effected by operation of a hand Wheel 35 located at the introductory end of the The hand wheel 35 is fast upon a shaft 36. The shaft 36 is journalled in bearings 31 and 38 carried, respectively, by brackets 39 and' 40. The shaft 36 also has fast upon it a worm 4| which meshes with gear 32 and drives the gear to effect the desired adjustments.

'I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish,

however, to be confined to the embodimentsshown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a conveyor running therein, of a series of nozzles each pivotally mounted, means connecting the nozzles for parallel movement in unison, and operating means for adjusting the nozzles toward and from vthe conveyor comprising a gear, a worm driving the gear, and a handle for operating the worm, the arrangement being such that the nozzles are automatically retained in any positions to which they may be operated.

2. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a conveyor running therein, of a series of nozzles each pivotally mounted, means connecting the nozzles for parallel movement 7in unison, operating means for adjusting the nozzles toward and from the conveyor, and an adjustable entrance gate or guard connected to be adjusted simultaneously with, and as an incident of, the adjustment of the nozzles, to provide an 'entrance opening automatically regulated in size to preclude admission of an article of suiicient height to strike a nozzle.

3. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a conveyor. running therein, of an entrance guard adjustable to regulate the size of article which'may enter the chamber, a series of nozzles 'within the chamber above the conveyor, and means connecting the entrance guard and the nozzles to adjust the nozzles toward and from the conveyor in accordance with the adjustment of the entrance guard.

4. In a drier, the combination with a drying chamber and a, conveyor ru'nning longitudinally therein, of a succession of similar nozzles disposed at intervals over the conveyor, means providing separate, transversely extending, parallel pivots for the successive nozzles at equal distances from the conveyor, each nozzle being swingable about its axis to change the distance between the nozzle tip and the conveyor, an operating member disposed outside the chamber for adjusting the nozzles in unison about their respective pivots, and operating means connecting the operating member to the several nozzles to cause the nozzles to be maintained in parallelism while being adjusted and at all other times, whereby the nozzle tips will be caused to clear the conveyor by equal amounts in all adjusted positions.

5. In a drier, the combination with a. drying chamber and a conveyor running therein, of va succession of similar nozzles disposed at intervals over the conveyor, a uid manifold, means suplporting the nozzles individually from the fluid therewith, with capacity for adjustment relative 

